No Regrets
by upxallxnight
Summary: Tryan. Troy comes to terms with his sexuality and Ryan at first wants nothing to do with him. They come together and settle their differences, of course. Mr Bolton will be used as light comic relief at parts.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Troy/Ryan Fall Musical Fiddler on the Roof. It's mostly upbeat.

Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical or the characters. This is used for fun and I don't get paid.

To Life?!10:45pm

Mood: just chipper, thanks.

Music: "Natural Disaster" Alexz Johnson

Hey, what's going on? So, I tried reading The Smoke Thief – that book Sharpay was raving about – but I can't get past the prologue. All I can think about is today's rehearsal. Everyone knows I started this LJ so that I could get over being upstaged by Troy freeging Bolton in the Fall musical auditions. So I got over it months ago right? We had a great show right? Right!

This is something completely different. For the Spring, we're doing Fiddler. Well La Dee Da who gets Tevya? Troy Bolton! I don't think he's bad at all… but I got the role of Mutle the Tailor! Excuse me while I throw a fit: asi lojojgo kaiue friu cikoiw jdpo0t! Breathe deep. Remember my mantra: every part's a good part. There are no small roles, only small people.

Ok, ok. This is all stuff regulars to my journal know… now to the real dirt of today. This is why I signed on tonight even though all this stress is really cutting into my beauty rest - - -I nearly kissed that role stealing jerk as I was saying goodbye to my friends!

::REWIND::

Rehearsal ended with a run through of To Life (L'Chaim) so I just hung out by the bar (prop!) and sang with the rest of the gang. Troy and Greg had the solos during the number and were singing center stage.

After the song ended, we were all acting drunk (as directed for the scene) and milling around falling all over each other. Ms. Darbus called "Cut" and had us sit on the stage for notes. There was a half hour of her squawking corrections at us and Sharpay got bored so she decided to act drunk again. With her head on my shoulder she started imitating Ms Darbus in a slurred, confused way. I started laughing at my sister and was sent to sit alone in the auditorium. It wasn't the first time something like that had happened, so I wasn't too embarrassed.

Sitting alone, I eyed my friends in the show – i.e. not Troy or Gabriella. I hold grudges. So sue me. I made faces to my sister, Isabelle, Katherine, and Greg behind Ms Darbus' back.

Finally Darbus grew tired of listening to her own voice and called it a wrap. My friends came over to grab their backpacks and say goodbye. I didn't know funnyman Troy was going to be behind them. I hugged each of my girlfriends and gave them kisses on the cheeks: first Izzy, then Katie. Troy's head popped into my arms next. My lips were inches from his face! And what did he have to say for himself?!

"L'Chaim!" Troy's arms were outstretched and he hugged me like a freak. I was so embarrassed. I'm still embarrassed for Pete's sake. He's always trying to humiliate me like that. I really can't stand his "everybody loves me" attitude. Everybody doesn't love you, Troy Bolton. I can't stand you.

Ryan Evans closed his laptop and kicked off his shoes. Standing from his desk, he took a deep breath and looked around his room for a sweatshirt. For March it was still pretty chilly. Finding nothing useful lying around his tidy bedroom, Ryan made his way to the closet. The first thing he laid his eyes on didn't make him feel any better. A navy blue hooded sweatshirt covered in silver stars stared at him from the middle of his closet. It was supposed to be inspiration, motivation, or something of that sort. Instead, the sweater mocked him as the first time he didn't get the part he dreamed of.

If he told the truth, Ryan would admit that the Twinkle Town part he dreamed of wasn't at all what Gabriella and Troy ended up portraying on stage. The part of Gondola singer actually fit Ryan much better than what Troy had to do. But it wasn't a starring role. And Ryan's parents weren't impressed.

Ryan snatched the sweatshirt and pulled it over his head. Better to be made fun of than freeze to death.

"Ew! What are you wearing?" The shriek came from the doorway. "You swore you would never wear that hideous excuse for couture in this house." Sharpay sauntered into her brother's bedroom in a silken tank and pajama bottoms. Fluffy slippers donned her feet. Goosebumps covered her arms, but she didn't seem to notice.

"No, I swore I would never wear this outside the house. Inside the house it's fair game." Ryan watched in admiration as his sister tuned the radio to something upbeat and jazzy. She bopped her head from side to side with a huge smile across her face.

Ryan's admiration slowed to a stop as his sister's smile changed to a smirk. "What?"

"Heh," Sharpay licked her lips. "I saw you and Troy today."

"Oh god, who didn't," Ryan sank into his bed. "Troy is such an ass."

"A hot ass!" Sharpay pinched Ryan's leg. "I'd tap that."

Ryan laughed, "Maybe you should. You could tire him out so he'd leave me alone."

Sharpay pulled her hair into a low ponytail. "I heard he and Gabriella broke up."

Ryan rolled his eyes in thought, "Didn't that happen, like, a week ago?"

"How do you know these things before me?"

Sitting up, Ryan yawned, "I guess I was just blessed with great friends."

His sister scoffed, "Great friends with big ears and bigger mouths." Sharpay watched her brother yawn again and decided that it was time they both got some well deserved sleep. "Goodnight my little Tailor."

Rolling his eyes, Ryan climbed between his bed covers, "Goodnight Sharpay."

Sharpay turned the light off as she left the room.

Across town Gabriella and Troy were saying goodnight on their own terms.

"It's one thing if you're going to break up with me without giving me a reason. But don't start flirting with every girl in sight!" Gabriella Montez stood on Troy's porch shivering in anger and the cold.

"Gabi, please come inside. Babe, please." Troy opened the door to see his father standing in the frame.

"Is everything ok out here?" Jack Bolton looked at Gabriella shaking in the wind. "Gabriella, let me get you a jacket."

Troy turned to his father, "Dad, I want her to come inside."

"Your mother never liked to fight indoors, why should your girlfriend be any different? I'll get her a coat." Jack disappeared into the house.

When Troy turned back to Gabriella, he could see she had turned a deeper shade of red.

"You still haven't told them?" She stomped her foot on the wooden deck. "What is with you, Bolton?" She lowered her voice to an angry whisper, "Why are you doing this to me?"

Troy held out his arms pleading, "I'm not trying to do anything to you. Honestly, I just want to be friends."

Gabriella's voice jumped up an octave and three decibels, "Friends are considerate of each others' feelings, Troy!"

Biting his lip, Troy rubbed his ears and frowned. "I'm so sorry, Gabriella. What did I do that makes you so upset?"

The door to the house creaked open. "Got that jacket for ya, Gabi." Jack tried to pretend like there was nothing strange about his son fighting with a girl in the middle of the night on the porch. He tried to make light of the situation, "If you're gonna be going at it for much longer, want me to toss some waffles in the toaster for breakfast?"

Troy and Gabriella stared at him: both eyes asked for desperate help. But Jack knew of none to give.

"I'll be inside. Your mother is sleeping like a log so, no worries." Mr. Bolton closed the door behind him again.

Holding the jacket, Troy sighed, "Gabriella."

She took the coat and slipped it on quickly. "You flirt with everyone, Troy. I mean EVERYONE!" She sighed shakily and Troy couldn't tell if it was from the cold or if she was going to cry. "It makes me feel like what we were just wasn't that special if you can flirt with people you don't even know… the way you flirt with me."

"I don't flirt with people I don't know, Gabriella-"

"You flirt with Ryan Evans," she whispered harshly.

"Heh, come on," Troy glanced around the porch. "I just like to be noticed, that's all."

"You like to egg him on. You like to make sure Ryan knows you exist. You like for Ryan to think he has a chance with you," Gabrielle coughed. "Frankly, I'm disgusted with your behavior. Leave him alone. Ever since you broke it off with me you've been all over his business. Leading him on is a sick game, Troy. You're not even friends." She laughed coldly, "Hell, you're not even gay. Are you?"

Troy shrugged, "I don't know."

Gabriella stared in disbelief, "What do you mean – you don't know?"

"Maybe I like guys too. I don't know. That's what I mean. There are a lot of things I need to work out before I jump in a Pride Parade but…" Troy sighed heavily.

"I need to sit down." She sighed just as heavy. "Man, you say that and pretty much everything I want to scream about gets put on the back burner." Gabriella gave a weak smile. "This is ok, Troy." She tried to calm her friend. "I know I was riding you just a minute ago. And I'm still angry. But I want you to know that it's ok to be confused, ok. I still do want us to be friends after all of this craziness blows over."

"Thanks, Gabriella." Troy and Gabriella sat on the steps of the deck for a moment. Troy was taking slow deep breaths with some difficulty.

"That was the reason wasn't it." Gabriella nodded to herself, "You stopped having feelings for me when you started having feelings for Ryan."

Troy nodded looking at the stars, "Pretty much." He gulped at the fresh air. "I still have feelings for you. But they're mostly the friendly kind."

"And your feelings for Ryan?"

Troy laughed nervously, "More than friendly, I guess." Gabriella wrapped an arm around Troy and hugged him close. Troy did the same to her. "You're my best friend Gabi. I mean that. I've known a lot of people longer, but I've never let anyone know me as well as you do."

"You're my best friend too, Troy. Thanks." She rested her head on his shoulder and looked for the man's face in the moon.

Mr. Bolton watched them from a window. He couldn't hear what they were saying but guessed that they had made up. Leaving the kitchen light on for Troy, Jack went upstairs to dress for bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Troy/Ryan Fall Musical Fiddler on the Roof. It's mostly upbeat.

Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical or the characters. This is used for fun and I don't get paid.

Gabriella woke up early for school the next day tired and scared. She hoped Troy wouldn't rush into anything. Pulling on a jean skirt and pink cardigan, she skipped a shower to finish homework. The fight last night certainly ended differently than she had imagined it would. Her homework took until breakfast, and by that time Gabriella was back to her normal routine, rushing around like a chicken with its head cut off.

She grabbed a granola bar and an apple and ran to the car. Tossing her books into the passenger seat, Gabriella revved the engine and started for East High. Her drive wasn't long but she managed to catch both red lights on the way. But everything happens for a reason – in the parking lot, Gabriella caught sight of Troy pulling into his spot right after her.

She made her way to her ex, "Need something to eat, rockstar?" Gabriella tossed him the granola bar and took a bite out of her apple.

"Thanks," Troy lifted his sunglasses to rest atop his head. His eyes were rimmed red and raw. It looked like he had been crying all night.

Gabriella could barely swallow her breakfast. "What happened? What's wrong?" She talked softly and placed a comforting hand on Troy's shoulder.

"I just- I'm not ready to be _that guy_. I still want to be the basketball guy. It was hard enough to start singing. Is that bad?" Troy sniffed and sighed. "Am I lying to myself?"

"No. I don't know." Gabriella told the truth as they walked to class. "You have to do what feels right for you. You don't have to come out to these people, "she gestured to their classmates. "Who are they anyway? They don't matter in the long run. Only you matter. You don't even have to tell your family yet. Take everything at your own pace, hunny."

"What are you talking about?" Sharpay stuck her head between Gabriella and Troy. She looked at both of their faces. "Ew, so serious this early? Why?" Catching a good look at Troy's eyes, Sharpay squished her face in an inquisitive stare. "Are you high?"

Troy laughed genuinely, "Actually, no." The question really brightened his spirit and he put one arm around the shoulder of each of his girls. "Thank you, Shar. I needed that."

Sharpay steered the three of them toward homeroom confused. "You're welcome, sure."

Ryan watched from his seat as his sister walked in with Troy and Gabriella. He never could understand how she forgave them so easily. _She's still a lead. Our parents still adore her. She can afford to forgive and forget. But I can't._ Ryan cocked his head to the side as he continued to watch his sister and Troy interact.

"High or not, those shades are hot as your ass, Bolton." Sharpay winked more at Gabriella than the boy.

Troy felt uncomfortable being hit on so brazenly, especially by a girl, especially the night after he confessed his feelings for this particular girl's brother. "Erm, thanks Sharpay." As he thought of a compliment, he found his eyes wandering toward Ryan. When he realized what where his focus was drifting, he snapped his eyes back to Sharpay. "You have very beautiful skin today." It was the best he could come up with.

"Really?" The blond blushed, "Well, I try." She spent a moment gazing into the eyes of Troy the singing-basketball boy and sighed.

Ms. Darbus cracked a conductor's baton against her desk. "Tardiness – is frowned upon in all classes; homeroom is no exception. I will begin to call role at this time. If you are not in your seats when your name is called, so help me, I will see you in detention."

Ryan smirked as Troy, Sharpay, and Gabriella slid into their seats. Chad and Jason also jumped into their seats to avoid painting sets with the Drama Club. Ryan scooted forward in his seat to whisper in the ear of his sister. "Can't wait 'til you 'tap that,' Shar."

Troy looked over his shoulder to the brother and sister, knowing instinctively they'd be whispering about him. Behind Troy sat Chad. And a few rows behind Chad sat Gabriella. Troy couldn't stand being that far from her. He needed to talk. "Ms. Darbus, may I go to the nurse?"

Ms. Darbus stared at him over the frames of her thick glasses.

"It's an emergency."

Gabriella's ears perked up. Troy glanced back at her. "I'll walk him down," Gabriella offered, raising her hand.

"If you must," Ms. Darbus eyed them both suspiciously.

Ryan let out a sigh of disgust and leaned back in his chair. "Who the hell do they think they are?"

Sharpay turned around in her seat to face her brother. "What's up your ass?"

"Troy Bolton."

"You wish!" Sharpay laughed in her brother's face, daydreaming about Troy for herself. "You don't think Troy is your type do you?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "No, Troy is definitely not _my type_. But if you're asking if he's gay… who knows. That kid is confusing."

"Damn. I hope he's not. I mean, if he is, then it's just a friggen waste right? You don't want him and I can't have him." Sharpay took a stick of gum from her purse and started chewing. "That's gonna be a damn shame."

"What about Zeke?" Ryan held out his had for gum as well.

"You're right! Zeke could be gay. And he's definitely more your type."

Ryan was taken aback. "No, that's not what I meant. Just this weekend you were still heartbroken over Zeke. And now you're back to being gaga over Troy. I don't get it."

"I hate your reverse psychology bullshit." Sharpay crossed her legs and frowned. "I'm sorry I got jealous over you getting more attention from Troy than I was, ok? I just really am heartbroken over Zeke and I guess I was finding a way to deal by shifting my focus on another guy."

Ryan smiled. Their family really did spend too much time in therapists' offices. "It's ok, Sharpay."

She had a big smile on her face and Ryan could tell that it was half forced. "I love you, bro."

"It's ok, Sharpay," he repeated. "Love you too."

Her smile slowly faded and she uncrossed her legs. Ryan could tell she was starting to relax. "When I looked in his eyes, he wasn't looking back."

"Huh?" Ryan chewed his gum more slowly. "What do you mean? I saw him. He looked right at you."

"Yeah," she whined. "But he didn't see me." Sharpay sighed. "It's hard to explain. There I was, gazing into his eyes adoringly… and his eyes were all shifty. Like he wished I was someone else."

"Maybe he did, Shar." Ryan touched his sister's hand. "Deep down, don't you think you wished he was Zeke?"

"Pfft, not if he looked at me like that." Sharpay faced forward, returning to her natural self.

Gabriella had taken Troy's arm and led him into the hallway, but they never quite made it to the nurse. They sat in the stairwell to talk privately.

"How can I do this?" Troy looked to Gabriella with pleading eyes. "Sharpay is all over me and all I can think about is her brother." His mind started racing. "But I'm so stuck in the thought that I can't tell anyone anything. And it's only been a few hours since I've told you. This is driving me mad."

"Whoa, slow down. Seriously, take some deep breaths. It's going to be alright. Sharpay is a flirt, yes. But even she knows you're not interested. I think. If you're crushing that hard for Ryan, then maybe you should tell him. I'm sure he'd say something supportive."

"Ryan doesn't like me." Troy sounded defeated.

"I never said he was going to fall head over heels for you. But if you talk to him, he might help you with all the secret-keeping and feelings of confusion. I mean, he's gay, right?" Gabriella suddenly didn't sound too sure of herself.

"Well, everyone seems to think so." Troy shrugged and shook his head. "But that's not what I mean. Ryan doesn't like me. He's had it in for me ever since Tinsel Town. And I really think he wanted Tevya." Troy raked his fingers through his hair. "Even if he is gay, that's no reason why he would all of the sudden open his arms and befriend me."

Gabriella racked her brain thinking of a plan. "We can always talk to Sharpay first. The thing is, you seem really hung up on Ryan and she's the one way I know we can get through to him. I don't think Ryan hates you. I think he may be a bit jealous, but that's it. As for opening his arms to friendship, you'll never know until you try."

After Gabriella's little pep talk, Troy felt only slightly better. He wasn't sure if he was ready to tell another guy he could possibly be gay. But if Ryan really was gay, then Sharpay seemed like a safe person to talk to. "Lunch period. We'll sit with the Drama Club today and see how it goes. Sitting around doing nothing just makes me nervous. I'll try to work myself up to talking with Sharpay."

"Relax, Troy. Do you want to go back to homeroom?" Gabriella took his hand in hers and felt it shaking. "Troy, come on. Everything is just as it always was. You haven't changed, remember? No one is going to like you any less because of this. No one even knows yet."

Troy nodded and squeezed her hand a few times. "You're right." The boy stood and brought Gabriella with him. "Let's get back to homeroom. I'll talk to Sharpay at lunch."


End file.
